Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
by RoseCake31
Summary: Tony Stark appears to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the recent events... So he will be going on a short, private vacation." PepperxTony, movieverse, postmovie. Rated T for swearing and dry martinis with extra olives.
1. I Swear to Drunk I'm Not God

** This is rated T, for swearing. Pepper x Tony, Movieverse, post movie.**

** AN: I/ own/ Iron Man/ kickass superhero glowy-chest man/**

**Okay… no, I don't… I don't own Peeps, either…**

"Pepper, come back!"

Tony stumbled out onto the roof after his redheaded assistant, dropping his half-empty shot glass on the way. "Peppeeeeer!!"

The incensed woman spun on her stiletto heel, scowling. "Tony Stark, I have had enough!"

The billionaire industrialist threw up his hands. "Oh, come on, Pepper…"

Pepper pointed a finger accusingly. "I am fed up with your ridiculous behavior! This is the last time you will do this to me!"

"C'mon," Tony slurred. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"

"You are a disgusting scotch-soaked slug! You are completely wasted!"

"But Pepper, I swear to drunk I'm not God!!"

"Your drinking is a result of post-traumatic stress disorder!!"

"Oh, c'mon, you don't actually believe that bullshit!"

The irate aide grabbed her plastered boss's arm, dragging him back into the huge, modern house. She yanked him down the stairs and into one of the many bathrooms. She propped him up against the wall and locked the door behind them, immediately beginning to fill the tub with ice-cold water.

Watter ya doin', Peeeepper?" Tony muttered. "hey… Peepper… that's kinda funny... like Peeps… y'know, the marshmallow things… that are covered with sugar… I like Peeps…" he was talking more to himself than anyone else now.

Pepper sighed, stopping the flow of water and pulling Tony up from where he was flopped against the sink. She pulled him over to the bath and promptly dunked his head under.

He was perfectly still for a moment, but then he started writhing around ferociously, kicking and smacking randomly and shaking his head under the clear liquid. Pepper, shocked, yanked him out. He gasped and spat, body shaking violently as he wheezed, eyes wide and panicked. He slumped against the side of the tub, tense and unnerved.

Pepper crouched beside him. "Oh my God, Tony, I'm so sorry… are you okay? Tony? Tony?" he didn't move, instead staring blankly ahead while his chest heaved with labored breaths. She reached out a hand to touch his shoulder. "Tony?"

He moved suddenly, lashing out and hitting her hand away. She jerked back, worried for (and slightly scared of) her boss.

"Tony?" she whispered reverentially.

The sound of his trusted assistants voice seemed to snap the businessman out of his trance. He blinked, and turned to Pepper, who was ducked under the sink nervously.

"Pepper?" he murmured. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear it.

The redhead jumped to her feet. "Oh, thank God you're all right…"

He held a hand up and she stopped in her tracks. "I'm fine. Lemme just get up…"

He stood up shakily, gripping the edge of the bathtub. He took a deep breath and let go.

And promptly fell flat on his ass.

He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as Pepper rushed towards him and bent down to help him up. "Ow. That was painful."

Pepper let him lean on her as they made their way to the door. "What was that?"

Tony twisted his face into a wry smile. "Post-traumatic fucking stress disorder."


	2. Holiday

**AN: I don't own Iron Man. Though one day I will have as much money as Tony Stark, and THEN I will.**

The room was packed with reporters, TV cameras, token blondes, and excited chatter.

"…hasn't been seen since the last one…"

"…I hear now he thinks he's Captain America…"

"…he hasn't said if it's the truth or not yet…"

"…I wonder if he really IS Iron Man…"

"EVERYONE, PLEASE SETTLE DOWN!"

Instant silence. All eyes immediately flew to the podium at the front of the room.

Pepper cleared her throat uneasily, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. "Um… hello. As you probably know, my name is Virginia Potts, and I'm Mr. Stark's personal assistant. After last weeks… er, press conference… the one where Mr. Stark announced that he was Iron Man… it wasn't correct. I mean, it wasn't true. Tony, um, I mean Mr. Stark, is having a very difficult time since his imprisonment in Afghanistan.

"It has been determined that Mr. Stark is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Taking this into account, he will be taking a short, private vacation. In the time he will be gone, Stark Industries will be under the charge of the Vice President of Affairs."

The room burst into uproar.

"Miss Potts, it's been over five months since Mr. Stark returned from Afghanistan. Shouldn't he be better by now?"

"It often takes years to get over PTSD, but we believe that Mr. Stark is strong enough to overcome this awful condition. Next question please."

"So you're saying that Tony Stark is NOT Iron Man?"

"Yes. Tony Stark is NOT Iron Man."

"Miss Potts, what do you say to allegations that you and Tony Stark are in a romantic relationship?"

There was a loud crash as Pepper fell down. She clambered to her feet, face bright red and hair disheveled.  
"Wh-what??" she stuttered. "N-n-no! I am not doing anything! I haven't… I'm not… he wouldn't… NO!"  
The press were silent, save for a few muttering reporters.

-

"What the Hell is this?" Tony said, shaking the remote at the frozen TV screen. The image was paused with one of Pepper's legs suspended in the air above the podium.

"I'm not suffering from post-traumatic ANYTHING!" he said.

Pepper crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Tony, you're obviously over-stressed. You need some time off!"

"But-but-why did you say I wasn't Iron Man?"

"Nick Fury told me we should keep it on the down low."

"We've only met the guy once!" Tony collapsed into the sofa, a hand covering his face.

An uneasy silence settled over the room. After a moment, Tony sighed.

"So, where am I going?"

Pepper sat down beside him and handed him a folder. "We're going to a private island in the Pacific. It's quite nice."

"We?"

She smiled. "I'll be accompanying you."

The industrialist groaned. "Pepper, I can take care of myself, you don't have to baby-sit me!"

Pepper made her way to the door and turned back, smiling. "Yes, I do."


	3. I Didn't Expect That

**AN: I still don't own Iron Man. Not like I didn't expect that.**

**I've just written three chapters in one night. I need more sleep.**

"Some scotch, sir?"

Pepper glared at the buxom, blonde air stewardess. "Mr. Stark will not be having anything to drink, thank you very much."

Tony winked at the woman. "I'd love one. And get Pepper a dry vodka martini."

"What?" the redheaded assistant yelped. "No! I don't want anything! No martini! And nothing for him, either!"

Tony leaned over towards the stewardess. "Extra olives. She likes them that way."

The blonde nodded and walked out of the cabin.

Pepper scowled. "You didn't have to do that."

Tony grinned at her across the table. "Order you a drink, you mean?"

"Of course that's what I mean."

He shrugged. "Well, I never did bring you back your drink that night on the roof, so I figured I'd compensate. Is that a problem?"

A sigh. "No. Not really. But I'd appreciate it if you didn't order for me again."

Tony took his drink from the stewardess, who had just arrived. "Of course, Pepper." He turned to the other woman. "Can you get me and my assistant some shrimp? With marinara sauce?"

Pepper snorted and took her drink. Tony raised his glass.

"To pleasure, luxury, and carefree enjoyment!"

Pepper smiled. "If by carefree enjoyment you mean one-night stands with random girls around the island, than I'm afraid I'll have to rain on your parade, Tony."

The glass froze half an inch away from the businessman's expectant lips. "Excuse me?"

"Remember when I said this was a private vacation?"

"You didn't."

"I'm afraid I did."

Tony groaned. "Pepper…"

"It's for your own good, Tony." She said. "Trust me."

The entrepreneur pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "You never let me have any fun."

"I let you have fun your own way for long enough. You can still have a good time without screwing female reporters."

"Says who?"

"Says me." Pepper said. "Now come on, your shrimp are here."

-

The sky was cerulean. The water was azure. The dolphins were indigo (which was bizarre and unnatural, because dolphins are usually grey).

Tony Stark's least favorite color was blue.

He turned to Pepper as they were exiting the plane. "I don't like blue."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, the house isn't blue, so you don't have to worry about it."

"What does the house look like? I don't remember buying anything here."

"That's because you didn't buy it. We're renting it for the month." They got into the silver Audi waiting for them. "You should like it, it's your style."

"My style?" Tony closed the door. "And what, pray tell, Miss Potts, is my style?"

"You'll see when we get there, won't you?" She said.

-

The chauffer drove for about five miles before turning onto a small back road. They continued along for a few minutes, then turned a corner.

Tony whistled. "Wow."

There was a beach out front, pure blinding white sand, with waves (sea-green waves, he noted happily) lapping gently at the shore. A small rocky outcrop stood not far away, and palm trees arched gracefully into the air.

The house itself was magnificent. It was modern, but not too modern, and fit directly into the solid black rock wall that stood sentinel over the shoreline. It appeared to be suspended in thin air but looking closely, you could see that it was built into the cliff face. Looking up, Tony could see that the floor seemed to be glass in the room they were situated under.

"Wow." He repeated. "I didn't expect that."


	4. Only Two?

**Someone pointed out to me in a review for last chapter that shrimp goes with cocktail sauce, not marinara (Thanks, monica). This was actually supposed to be a mistake. Tony should have ordered cocktail sauce, and Pepper was just too polite to correct him. The waitress figured he meant cocktail and brought it anyway, so all conflicts were avoided.**

**AN: Nope, still don't own it. Nor do I own Campbell's. Or Jackson Pollack. (I wish I owned a Jackson Pollack)**

"Pepper, where's my room?"

The redheaded assistant looked up from the Jackson Pollack painting hanging on the wall. "Your room? It should be down the hall. Why?"

Tony jabbed a finger behind him. "There is no hall."

Pepper did a double take. "No- what on Earth…?" she strode over to where her boss was standing. There was indeed no hall.

"But-but it said two-bedroom… I'm SURE it said two-bedroom… Rhodes assured me of that when he rented it… where is it… I'm sure it's here somewhere…" Pepper glanced around frantically. "Oh no…"

"Pepper," Tony said. "Calm down."

"No! There's only one bedroom… this is bad… what'll I do…"

A hand landed on her shoulder and she yelped. Tony shook her gently.

"Pepper! Chill out! I can sleep in the living room, it's fine." He rolled his eyes. "I know how much your privacy means to you."

"Why did you just roll your eyes?"

"What?" I did no such thing!" Tony stated indignantly.

"You did, Tony."

"Didn't."

"Did."

"Didn't!"

"Did!"

"Did!"

"Didn't!"

Tony grinned. "Good to know you see things my way, Pepper. I'll see you in a few minutes, I'm sure you want to unpack your things." He pushed her into her room and closed the door behind her.

Pepper blinked. "What… just… happened?"

-

Tony, outside the door, ran a hand through his shock of thick black hair. Damn, Pepper always got worked up about the tiniest things. Like that time she caught him with the Hungarian supermodel. Or that time he got drunk and tried to jump off the roof. Or that time he asked her to yank the giant glow-ball keeping him alive out of his chest…

Okay, that last one was a tiny bit odd. But he knew some PAs had to deal with stuff MUCH more insane than that.

He walked into the kitchen (which, coincidentally, was the room with the glass floor that he saw earlier) and poured himself a drink from the minibar.

He took a sip and shook his head, grinning slightly. Pepper was so _cute _when she was nervous.

It was a shame she was always so straight-laced. Tony had been with many redheads before, and he knew from experience that no matter how passive they may have seemed, they were VERY… well, vivacious… once they came out of their shells. It just took Pepper a ridiculously long time to come out of said shell, which appeared to be quite large.

Tony smiled, an evil plan beginning to form in his mind. Maybe this vacation wasn't a bad idea… it would be just him and Pepper… alone…on a beach… or in the water… at night… with alcohol… and only one bedroom…

Mmmm mm good. Possibilities.

-

Pepper was attempting to unpack, and not having much luck. She would pull out a neatly folded shirt, which would quickly become unfolded so she could fit it in the drawer, and then it would be rumpled, which reminded her of Tony, and the obvious things that one thought about when one thought about Tony Stark.

Pepper had had a crush on her boss for years. Who wouldn't? He was smart, witty, and effortlessly sexy. Women threw their panties at him, when they weren't throwing themselves.

But Pepper was a good girl. As redheads go, she was more Anne of Green Gables than Anne Margaret. She was far more like Nicole Kidman than Lindsey Lohan. She never had been, and never would be, a crazy redhead. In fact, Pepper was one of the most sane people she knew, especially compared to Tony. What with his debonair attitude, his hair that stayed perfect even after a night of insane women, his stupid flying metal trashcan that was, for some absolutely ridiculous reason, a total turn on for a certain personal assistant.

Pepper growled in frustration. There she was, thinking about Tony again, It was a vicious circle, a Catch-22. If she thought about Tony, she would think about waaaaay to much of Tony, and if she tried to concentrate on something else he would sneak into her thoughts, like the sexy little rat he was.

Pepper needed pest control. And fast.


	5. If I May Say So

**AN: -sighs- If I owned it, I probably wouldn't be writing this, would I?**

"Tony, what is this?!"

The playboy billionaire, who was lounging quite comfortably on the couch, looked up from the novel he was reading. Pepper was standing in the doorway, holding a black one-piece swimsuit at arms' length, as if it were toxic.

Tony plastered a mock-serious expression onto his face. "It's a swimsuit, Pepper. You put it on and you swim. Please don't tell me you've never gone swimming before."

The redhead snorted. "I know what it is, but why was it in my suitcase?"

He blinked innocently. "Because you packed it?"

"I am not in possession of any bathing costumes at this point in time, Mr. Stark."

"Well, maybe Jarvis had one of the maids put it in by accident. I was under the impression that this was a seaside holiday."

Pepper put her empty hand on her hip. "Ah ha!"

"What?"

"You said _I _was under the impression, not _he _was under the impression!" Pepper glared. "You snuck a swimsuit into my luggage!"

"So?"

"You are provoking me! That's inappropriate behavior!" she cried, obviously upset.

Tony stood up. "C'mon, Pepper. You never have any fun. You're straighter-laced than a basketball player's high tops. You would make Zeppo Marx weep in shame! You need to relax a little. Isn't that what having a break is all about?"

"This is your vacation, Mr. Stark, not mine."

Half a second and he was standing directly in front of her, their bodies intimately spaced, his head tilted slightly to whisper in her ear. Pepper could feel the heat radiating from the arc reactor imbedded in his chest, hidden under the thin layer of black cloth, dangerously close to her own flesh-and-blood.

"Since when are you back to calling me 'Mr. Stark'?" he murmured, warm breath ghosting over her neck and shoulders. A slight, involuntary shiver ran down Pepper's spine, making him smile slyly. "I thought it was just "Tony" and "Pepper" now."

"Um…" for only the third time in her life, the indispensable Pepper Potts was at a loss for words. The first time had been when she was eight and had fallen off a roof and landed on the sidewalk seven stories below, completely unharmed. The second had been when her boss's business partner went totally bat-shit fucking crazy and pointed a grenade launcher at her head.

Tony straightened up. "Good to know we're on the same page. I'll see you down at the beach in approximately…" he checked his watch, "…ten minutes." He winked. "Pepper."

The speechless assistant nodded blindly. "Alright, Mr- er, Tony."

"Good girl." He said, flashing her a thumbs up on his way out the door.

-

Pepper was five minutes late. This being, of course, on the one day Tony Stark was on time.

She descended the black marble steps nervously, pale blue towel draped over her shoulder. Tony was sitting on one of the black rocks beside the water, legs crossed into full lotus position and gazing out over the water, lost in thought.

Pepper cleared her throat, and he turned his head to look at her. "Hey, what took… you… so… long…"

His sentence petered out as he caught sight of her. The black swimsuit clung perfectly to her slim frame, accentuating her gentle curves while enhancing her pale ivory skin. Her strawberry hair was pulled out of its' usual ponytail, and the fiery tempest of curling tresses cascaded across her delicate shoulders, mimicking the cool waves rolling onto the hot sand.

Tony Stark was only ever poetic about two things. Women and machines. Most of the time they were practically the same things. He used them when they were new, then quickly got bored and discarded them with the ease one saves primarily for old toothbrushes, quickly upgrading to a newer system.

Pepper Potts was not a machine.

He whistled slowly as his PA joined him on the rock. "Miss Potts! I must say, you look positively radiant! I have very good taste in swimwear."

"Not really. It took me five minutes to figure out where the clasp was." Pepper sighed.

"But, if I may be so bold, you look incredibly sexy."

Pepper stammered, blushing violently. "I-I-um…I…uh…oh my…"

Tony unfolded his legs and adjusted his position to face his flustered assistant. "What, no, 'Oh, Tony, you look great, too'?" he quipped, lopsided grin spreading across his face.

"Um… oh, Tony, you look great, too?"

"Why thank, you Pepper."

Pepper actually did think that her boss's outfit was rather appealing. He was wearing a black, three-quarter sleeved scuba top, with knee length black shorts. His hair was ruffled slightly from the wind, and the soft, pulsating blue glow could still be seen, if you caught him at the right angle.

Pepper gestured towards the light. "How do you swim with… that?" Truth be told, she had been wondering about this subject quite a lot lately. It all started after she realized that he would have to shower, and had obviously been doing so.

Tony patted his chest. "What, the arc reactor?"

Pepper blushed. "Well… yes. Wouldn't you, er… short circuit yourself?"

The dark-haired industrialist let out a chuckle. "Check this out." He pulled the shirt up over his head, exposing his finely muscled, toned chest, and the blue circle of power that fitted into it all perfectly. Everything appeared to be the same, and Pepper said so.

Tony threw the shirt onto the sand below the rock. "Look closer. C'mon, lean in, I won't bite."

Pepper, needless to say, leaned in. Apart from being dazzled by her boss's fantastic physique (which would definitely be featured in some of her more explicit late night dreams), she could see a thin film covering the reactor, and the skin surrounding it.

"What is that?" she asked, breath hitching slightly.

"It's a transparent silicone coating. It's designed to be waterproof and protect electronics in water." He grinned. "I came up with it after I got back from Afghanistan."

Pepper made an approving noise in the back of her throat. "I'd always wondered how you could shower without electrocuting yourself."

Tony cocked an eyebrow. "You think about me showering?"

Pepper found herself blushing (yet again). "No…I mean yes! I mean… I mean… I was wondering how you... but I didn't…" she threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "I wish you wouldn't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Make me stammer like that! It's disconcerting!" Pepper pouted. "It's not fair."

Tony edged in closer to her. "Want me to make it fair? Okay. Your turn."

"What?"

"It's your turn. Make me speechless." Tony grinned mischievously. "I bet you can't do it."

"I can!" Pepper said, offended.

"You can't."

"I can!"

"You can't!"

"I can!"

"You can't and you won't!"

Pepper exploded, fed up. "I can and I will!" And, in a highly rare moment of spontaneity, Virginia "Pepper" Potts did the unthinkable.

She leaned forward and kissed Tony Stark full on the lips.

**There! I gave you guys what everyone wanted! Now, don't forget to review!!**


	6. Taking a Dip

**AN: I don't even know why I bother adding a disclaimer. You all know I don't own iron Man, so let's all get on with our days, shall we?**

Tony, truly, had not been expecting it.

He had thought he would tease Pepper a little bit, maybe get her hot and bothered, loosen her up. But he had never thought that… well, that Pepper would actually KISS him. It was one of those things that you never really thought would happen.

But it did. And now Pepper was kissing him. Her lips were touching his. It was definitely real.

Tony searched his mind for ideas. Finally he found something, filed under the "Girl Instigates Kiss" heading.

He stuck his tongue in her mouth.

SMASH! went the moment. Pepper leaped away, eyes wide with disbelief and complete panic. She skittered away from Tony, who was staring blankly at her, trying to figure out why they weren't still kissing.

Unfortunately, in her panic, Pepper accidentally fell off the rock and into the water.

Tony gaped for a second, then suddenly, his hero instincts kicked in. He jumped into the water after his assistant, kicking hard as he dived deeper.

The water was deeper than he had thought it was. And very cold. But it was crystal clear, and he could easily see Pepper sinking beneath him.

She had hit her head on the rocks on the way into the water, and she was falling fast.

Tony cursed the salt water as it stung his eyes, distorting his vision. Finally, he stretched his arm out, searching, reaching…

He felt his fingers brush cool flesh, and then lose it. He grabbed again, and this time caught hold of a slender wrist. He pulled Pepper up, wrapping an arm around her waist and using the other to haul them through the water.

Two heads broke the surface, one gasping, the other silent. Tony dragged Pepper out of the water and onto the sand, laying her on her back. He looked around frantically, searching for something to help him, then looked back at Pepper, who was still unconscious.

_How do you do CPR?!_ Tony asked himself anxiously. _Shit… I completely forgot… oh God, how do they do it in the movies…_

He leaned over Pepper and applied pressure to her abdomen. He pushed down again and again, then put his mouth on hers, trying to pour his breath into her.

He pushed down again. "Dammit, Pepper!" he muttered. "If you die from this I swear I'll kill you!"

Suddenly, she coughed. Tony jumped back, startled. "Woah!"

Pepper rolled over onto her side, coughing violently and spitting water. Tony rubbed her side, tapping her back lightly and feeling completely helpless.

Finally, the hacking coughs subsided. The black-haired industrialist pulled his assistant close, holding her tight to his body as her breathing returned to normal.

He stroked Pepper's hair gently, possibly the only soothing thing he had ever done in his life. "Hey… c'mon, Pepper… you're okay… everything's gonna be fine… you're okay… c'mon, Pepper…"

Okay, very short chapter. I'm not really happy with how this one came out, but whatever. I promise the next chapter will be better!!


	7. Epiphany

**AN: Nope, still don't own it. **

**I just wanted to say thank you to all the people who have reviewed this story. It's my favorite story so far and it means a lot. Also, I just checked and I have 2,850 hits on this. So yeah, that makes me happy. Very happy. Like, Tony-Stark-surrounded-by-gorgeous-women-and-booze happy.**

**Special Note: Italics mean flashback.**

"Pepper?"

The redheaded assistant groaned sleepily and rolled over, burying her face in a soft, white pillow. She muttered something incoherent.

"Pepper! Wake up!"

"Five more minutes, mom…"

Through her bleary half-sleep daze, Pepper heard a snort of laughter. "I'm not your mom. Thank God."

She rolled onto her back and opened her eyes. Hovering about three inches away from her nose was the grinning face of her employer.

Pepper shrieked and jumped, narrowly avoiding breaking Tony's nose. She relaxed against the pillows, chest heaving.

"GOD, Tony, don't do that to me!" she said, breathless from her brief scare. "You nearly gave me a heart attack." She looked around the bedroom. "How did I get in here?"

Tony shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "I carried you up after you passed out again. You're pretty light, you know."

Pepper blushed and stared at her fingers as she fiddled with the edge of the sheet. "Look… Tony… I'm sorry I freaked out like that, you just-"

He cut her off before she could finish. "It's alright. I understand."

She sighed, relieved. "You do?"

"Yeah." Tony stared around the room, avoiding her eyes. "I made unwanted sexual advances on you. I provoked you. It was unacceptable and I promise it won't happen again."

Pepper gaped at him.

"If you want to turn in a letter of resignation…" he grimaced at the thought, "…then I won't stop you. But it was an accident, and I'm sorry."

He walked towards the door and opened it. Without turning to face her, he addressed her. "I have greatly appreciated your service, Miss Potts. I… don't think I could have done a lot of the things I've done without your help. "Goodbye."

Pepper opened her mouth to say something, but before she could form a sentence, the door had swung shut without a sound, and Tony was gone.

Seconds too late, Pepper's words came out anyway.

"Tony, wait!"

It had been meant as a shout, but emerged from her lips as a whisper.

-

Tony shuffled dejectedly out onto the porch. The day, which had only a few hours ago been sunny and warm, had quickly shifted along with his mood, becoming cold and gray.

He rested his elbows on the railing, staring out over the water as he descended into a deep cloud of melancholy. Tony had been coming to grips with his trauma in his own, easy-going way, but every so often when something bad happened he would get depressed.

Take, for instance, the swift and painful alienation of his personal assistant. Who also happened to be his best friend. And the only person he could really talk to.

The billionaire industrialist buried his head in his hands, exhaling loudly.

Now Pepper hated him. The one woman he'd actually had to TRY to get, and she'd ended up like all the other girls in his life: Just another woman scorned to add to the already long list.

"Nice going, Stark." He muttered to himself.

-

"…_and y'know, Jarvis, she almost sent me into cardiac arrest! Can you believe that?"_

_Tony was fiddling around with one of the sports cars in his workshop, picking it apart and adding new components to make it faster. He was talking to Jarvis as he worked, if yelling over the oppressively loud music that was blasting from the painfully expensive speaker system mounted on the wall could be described as talking._

"_Yes, sir, I can believe it. I witnessed the entire thing._

"_Oh yeah. Well, anyway, it was pretty funny. She freaked out when she zapped me!" Tony cackled. "She's pretty cute when she's worried."_

"_I concur, sir."_

_Tony closed the hood of the car and wiped his hands on a grease rag. "Of course you do, Jarvis."_

-

"_This is the worst thing I've ever caught you doing!"_

_Pepper was so mad steam was practically coming out of her ears. She had just witnessed Tony doing… indescribable things to an up-and-coming supermodel. _

_At the moment he was perched atop the arm of the sofa, clutching an icepack to his head where Pepper had hit him with her Blackberry._

"_Oh, c'mon, Pepper, it was hardly that bad…" _

"_From where I was standing, it looked pretty fucking bad."_

"_Did you just curse?" he said, unable to keep the slightly amused tone of voice hidden._

"_Yes. I did. And that's not all I'll be doing if you don't stop acting like such an immature brat!" Pepper fumed. "Sometimes I don't know why I stay here and don't just quit!"_

_Tony jumped off the couch. "Don't leave." His face and voice had regained their seriousness. "Pepper, you can hit me and yell at me and do whatever you want with my sorry hide, but do not, I repeat do NOT, leave. Ever." _

_Pepper folded her arms over her chest. "And why shouldn't I?"_

_Tony stared at his feet, then looked up and stared her right in the eye._

"_Because you're all I've got, Pepper."_

-

Tony blinked at the memory. That had been about a week before he left for Afghanistan.

He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. He stared down at the glowing blue orb under his shirt. He still hadn't changed it out for the newer one, so it was still the original arc reactor.

Pepper's proof.

Proof of his humanity. Proof of their friendship. Proof of… proof of what?

A single drop of water fell through the sky, splattering against his hand. He stared up into the sky as the rain began to pour down, rivulets sliding down his skin, cold against the warm flesh.

He closed his eyes and felt the rain pound against his body, driving away any warmth that he may have felt.

"I love Pepper." He whispered into the air, a solid testament against the weeping sky. Immediately after saying it, he realized that it was completely true.

"I love Pepper." He said again, this time with more conviction. And again: "I love Pepper!!" he repeated the three words again and again, until he was yelling them, rain mingling on his face with what may have been tears.

"I LOVE PEPPER!" he screamed, completely lost in his epiphany.

**Okay, I really liked this chapter. If you people have any souls at all, you will leave really long, really detailed reviews. I will reward the winner of the longest review by giving them this large sugar cookie, which I have painted to resemble an arc reactor.**


	8. At Last

**Daaaamn, all the reviews were awesome! I've decided that I'm just going to give you all arc reactor cookies. Here, take em. They're fresh out of the mental oven.**

**I'm sorry that this chapter is so short, but the next will be longer, I promise  
**

**AN: I don't own… ah, whatever.**

"I didn't know you could yell that loudly."

Tony whipped around. Pepper was standing in the doorway, leaning against the sliding glass pane dressed in one of his larger dress shirts.

-

"_Name?" Tony Stark said, bored. He didn't even bother to look up at the newest young woman. A long day of dumb blondes trying to prove that they could be his personal assistant had wielded no results. This girl was the last applicant of the day._

"_Virginia Potts."_

_The girl's voice was soft, lilting, with a slight layer underneath that hinted that laughter was just beneath the surface. Tony looked up. _

_Despite her voice, the girl's face was serious, her red hair pulled back into a severe bun. She was undeniably gorgeous, but in a hidden way. _

"_Age?" he asked, slightly more interested._

"_Twenty-five."_

_Tony nodded approvingly. She seemed competent enough._

"_Why do you want to be a PA?" he asked._

"_It was either that or law school." Virginia Potts said. Tony started to laugh, then realized that she was being serious. He laughed anyway._

"_Why do you want to be MY PA?" he asked finally. It had been the hardest question, and no one had been able to answer in a way that pleased him yet._

_Virginia looked him straight in the eye, something that no one but Obi had dared to do since he was eleven. "I feel ready for a challenge."_

_Tony stood up and extended a hand, grinning lopsidedly. "Welcome to my home, Miss Potts. You just got yourself a job."_

_Virginia smiled, shaking his outstretched hand. "Everyone calls me Pepper."_

-

They stood in awkward silence for a minute. Then two.

"So," Pepper said slowly, "you love me?"

Tony Stark had never blushed before in his life, but he did so now. "Uh… well, I was just… I kind of… uh… you weren't supposed to hear that."

"But I did, Tony."

"Yeah."

More silence.

Pepper took a step towards him. "So you do."

"Do what?"

"Love me, you jackass." She sighed. "PLEASE give me a straight answer, this is not the time for games."

Tony stared at his hands. "I… yeah. Yeah, I love you." He shrugged. "Only just realized it."

Pepper took another step, closing the distance between them. "Funny how that works, huh?"

Tony Stark did what came naturally after that.

He grabbed Pepper's face in his hands and kissed her, pressing his lips to hers in the softest, gentlest, most passionate kiss he could muster.

The redhead leaned forward, laying her hands against his rain-soaked chest, the mild throb of the arc reactor pulsating beneath her palm. They stayed there, bodies entwined, lips locked, standing clutched in each other's arms, as the rain pounded down from above, washing away the last lingering feelings of doubt and leaving only pure, simple truth.

Tony Stark and Virginia "Pepper" Potts kissed. Truly. Simply. Passionately.

At last.


	9. A First Time For Everything

**I skipped the events between the last chapter and this chapter so that I could keep this rated T. Sorry for anyone who may have wanted a lemon. But I'll make up for it with lots of innuendo in this chapter.**

**AN: I'm not even going to say it.**

Pepper had forgotten.

She had forgotten about the passion. She had forgotten about how it felt. She had forgotten about what it was like to fall asleep.

Pepper Potts had, due to lack of action, completely forgotten what sex was like in the years she had been working for Tony Stark.

Especially how much you hurt in the morning.

She winced as she sat up, prudishly pulling the sheets to cover her chest. She was sore all over, and was sure she looked awful.

She glanced around the room. She was alone in the bed, stranded by herself in a sea of white Egyptian cotton. The bedclothes were still rumpled beside her, but the coolness of the sheets told her that it had been quite some time since anyone had rested there.

Pepper felt her heart leap into her throat. Had she made a mistake? Was Tony just going to use her and discard her, like he had done to so many other girls? Had she finally let down her guard and allowed her castle to be open to truce, only to find her walls being destroyed from the inside?

She started to hyperventilate slightly. Tears began to leak out of her eyes. She felt irrevocably vulnerable.

Suddenly, the door was open and He was beside her, arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her to him. He nuzzled her neck softly, smiling into the warm flesh.

"Good morning, Pepper." Tony said.

And Pepper relaxed.

-

"I made breakfast."

Pepper twisted her head to stare at Tony, mouth hanging open. "What? You've never made breakfast in your life!"

The industrialist shrugged. "First time for everything, I guess."

Pepper allowed him to open the door for her, and was immediately hit by the aroma of fresh food. She felt her jaw hit the floor (metaphorically speaking, of course). "Tony, this looks delicious!"

Tony grinned at her dazed expression. "And it only took me five tries. Aren't you proud of me?"

Pepper leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm so proud I could burst, Mr. Stark."

Tony's eyes began to glaze slightly. "Could you say that again?"

"Say what?" she replied, puzzled.

He smiled. "Mr. Stark."

"Um… Mr. Stark?"

"Again."

"Mr. Stark."

"Again."

"Mr. Stark."

He beamed lopsidedly. "God, that is _so _hot."

Pepper squeaked. "Tony!"

He laughed. "Hey, it's the truth!"

She leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Not before breakfast. But maybe we could work out some scheduling conflicts later… _Mr. Stark."_

"Damn you and your deviant, provocative ways. Are you going to try to corrupt my innocence, Miss Potts?"

Pepper smiled. "Why, of course not, Mr. Stark. Shall we have some breakfast?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

They settled into their chairs. Pepper picked up a fork delicately between two of her graceful, manicured fingers and slowly cut herself a small sliver of pancake. She placed it in between her lips, letting it rest there for a minute before she took it into her mouth.

She moaned erotically. "Oooh, this is so _perfect, _Tony."

He stared at her, eyes wide as the plates. "Um… is it really?" he said, his voice strained.

"Yeeeessss…" she whispered, sliding her tongue down the fork to catch some of the maple syrup that had slid down the shiny, metallic length.

"You're such a _good cook…_"

Tony felt his mouth go dry.

"Mmmmm…" she slowly stabbed a plump raspberry and brought it to her lips with a long, languid sigh.

Tony's eye twitched.

Pepper closed her eyes as she bit into the red fruit. Ruby juices stained the insides of her lips as she moaned in culinary ecstasy.

It was simply too much for Tony to take. He launched himself across the table with a growl, knocking Pepper clean off her chair.

She yelped as she hit the floor. "TONY! What do you think you're-"

She never got to finish her sentence, Tony kissed her once and she melted.

-

After some time had passed, she sat up, propping her elbow on the glass floor. "You realize that if anyone had been under the house just now they would have seen us, correct?"

Tony grinned lopsidedly and pulled her closer to him, using the arm he had wrapped around her waist. "C'mon, seriously now. Who'd have been in that position? It's not like the locals are allowed up here."

-

Underneath the house, Happy Hogan slowly and laboriously got back into the car. Tony and Pepper had obviously not remembered that he was picking them up and the were driving to the airport today.

Trauma abounds when one works for Tony Stark. Personally, for times like this, Happy kept a bottle of Clorox in the glove compartment. He felt like he needed to scour his eyeballs.


	10. Deciding to Keep it on the DL

**AN: There will no longer be disclaimers in the story. If you haven't figured out by now that I don't own Iron Man, then I'm sorry, but you're a moron.**

**Sorry for the painfully short chapter, but I'm writing in a very limited time space, so I'm trying to churn out a few more chapters before my time is up. So don't forget to review! Reviews make me write faster. And better. And… they make me happy.**

**Reviews. My anti-drug.**

The drive to the airport was relatively uneventful. Happy was strangely silent and seemed oddly embarrassed whenever Tony or Pepper addressed him, but otherwise nothing had happened. They had been in the air for about an hour now.

Pepper was lying on the couch, her head in Tony's lap. They had had their lunch and were relaxing. Suddenly, she sat up.

"What are we going to do?" she asked.

The industrialist cocked his head. "About what?"

Pepper crossed her arms. "Well, I mean, should we keep this a secret?"

"This?"

Pepper gestured vaguely. "You. Me. Relationship. Should we be open about it or keep it as far away from the media as possible?"

Tony ran a hand through his hair. "Hmm. Good question. If we go public then you'll never have any privacy."

"It's not like I have any now."

"Good point."

He pulled her closer and let her lean against his chest. The arc reactor was warm against the small of her back.

"On the other hand, if we keep it a secret then we can't have PDA's."

Pepper raised an eyebrow. "I don't use a PDA, Tony. I have a Blackberry."

He snorted. "I mean Public Displays of Affection. We won't be able to do anything outside of the house. Not even hold hands."

She shrugged. "I can deal."

"So you want to keep it on the DL."

"Huh?"

"The down low, Pepper. You want to keep it a secret."

"Oh. Yes, I suppose I do."

Tony frowned suddenly. "I don't think we can tell Rhodey."

"What?" Why not?" Pepper said.  
"He can get a little… loose-lipped if you let him drink enough. I don't want the possibility that something'll slip through."

She shrugged. "Fine, I suppose. He's your best friend, after all. I've only really been alone with him a couple of times."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah. We had weekly meetings while you…" her voice trailed off. "… while you were away."

An uneasy silence filled the cabin. Pepper clutched Tony a little tighter.

"I stayed in your house!" She blurted out suddenly. Tony looked at her strangely.

"Excuse me?"

"I stayed in your house. While you were in Afghanistan. I used the mansion. I'm sorry!"

"Why in God's name are you sorry?"

"B-because I used your things and ate your food and abused your hospitality when I didn't even know if you were alive or dead or if I'd ever see you again and I thought that I'd never get to talk to you again and I knew I should have left and gone home but I couldn't, Tony! I just c-couldn't!"

Tony hugged his hysterical secret girlfriend/ kickass personal assistant tightly. "Hey, hey. Shhh. It's okay. I'm alright, aren't I?" he stroked her hair gently.

Pepper looked up. "I would just lie awake for hours on the couch with a blanket pulled over me, and then when I couldn't stop myself any longer I'd change into the dress and go sit on your bed." She smiled through her tears. "The blue dress. The one you got me for my birthday.

"I would crawl under the sheets in that ridiculous strappy blue costume and I'd fall asleep. I felt like…" she blinked furiously, trying not to cry. "I felt like you were with me."

Tony planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I was with you. I'm always with you. Like the Lenny Kravitz song. I'm with you when you're driving on the road. I'm with you when you're in the supermarket."

"Metaphorically speaking, of course."

He grinned. "God, I hope not. Because I'm also with you when you're in the hot tub, the shower, the sauna, the gym, and the massage room."

She hit him with a throw pillow.

**Whoever guesses the Lenny Kravitz song he's talking about first and tells me in their review I'll let help me with ideas for the next chapter.  
**


	11. Homecoming

**AN: Yeah. I decided to put this chapter back in and continue the story. because I hated how I ended it. I hated how I had become comfortable with a system of zero accountability. I saw young Americans...uhmmm... sorry, wrong speech.**

**But whatever. On to the show.**

"Tony!"

"What?"

"Quit it!"

"Quit what?"

"You're trying to hold my hand! We're in public! Someone could see!"

"Pepper, we're in the limo. No one's going to see us."

They were driving along the long and windy road back to the Malibu house. The airport had been swamped with reporters, all trying to find the newest dirt on Tony Stark, so the two "partners in crime", as Pepper had referred to themselves, had had to stay completely professional. But it appeared that Tony was trying to make up for lost time with a not-so-subtle grope.

"I still don't think that… Tony, get your hands off my ass!" Pepper glared. Tony laughed mildly, but didn't withdraw his mischievous digits.

"What's so funny?" the redhead said stiffly, trying not to show how much she was enjoying the industrialist's ministrations.

"You're being really paranoid!" he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Loosen up a little, _Miss Potts_."

She swiveled her head and planted a light kiss on his lips. "Only if you stop being so pushy, _Mr. Stark."_

In response, Tony slid a hand under her light grey silk shirt and over her flat stomach, and began to nibble on her earlobe.

Pepper moaned. "Not fair…!"

He smirked against the side of her head. "Sorry."

"_AHEM."_ Said a loud voice that was definitely NOT someone clearing his throat, no matter how the person who emitted it may have wanted it to sound. Pepper and Tony paused, frozen in their deeply awkward positions.

Happy had parked the car and was hunched over slightly. "Um… we're at the house. So… yeah."

"Oh, right." They quickly turned away from each other, straightening out their clothes and, in Pepper's case, smoothing her tousled hair (Tony's hair was always perfect, even when it wasn't).

They got out on opposite sides of the car. Looking over the roof, Pepper could see that her employer had put on his sunglasses and plastered his usual, "I'm bored out of my mind right now" expression onto his face.

"Well, we should probably get inside." He said nonchalantly.

"Yes." Said Pepper. "We probably should."

-

They walked into the foyer. Tony grinned up in the general direction of the ceiling. "Hello, Jarvis."

"Hello, sir. Hello, Miss Potts." Said the British-tinted voice. "Welcome home."

They had dinner, watched an old Cary Grant movie on the TV for a while, and then went to bed, happy and in each other's arms. The next day they woke up and had a perfect day. And the next day was perfect. And the next day as well.

But this is not what happened.

-

They walked into the foyer. Tony grinned up in the general direction of the ceiling. "Hello, Jarvis."

No answer.

Tony frowned, annoyed. "HELLO, Jarvis!"

Still nothing. Tony's annoyance turned to worry.

He grabbed Pepper's hand and almost ran into the next room. He froze at the sight that met him.

Pepper caught up. "What's the matter-" she gasped. "Oh my God."

The house had been ransacked. Expensive paintings had been ripped off the walls and lay scattered on the floor, the paint behind them hastily stripped off. Vases lay in shattered pieces, their contents rooted through and tossed to the four winds. The leather sofa had been slit open with a knife that still poked out of one of the arms, and the stuffing had been ripped out.

Pepper gaped at the chaos. "What-what happened?"

Tony was grim. "Someone must have broken in." he stepped forward and bent down to get a closer look at the couch. "They must have been looking for something…" suddenly, his head snapped up. His eyes flashed danger, and he bolted down the stairs without a word, completely disregarding the shards of broken glass and pottery on the floor.

Pepper ran after him (even in a crisis she could run the fifty-meter dash in heels), heart in her throat. She was almost at his workshop when she heard a strangled cry.

Tony was collapsed on the floor near a pile of burned and twisted metal. His hands, usually so steady and calm, trembled as he lifted a small, ruined circuit board.

He turned to Pepper; face a mask of shock and despair. "Jarvis." He said weakly, the word small and hopeless.

Pepper's hands flew to her mouth as she stared at Tony, sitting in the midst of the wreckage, cradling the small piece of seemingly unimportant machinery.

But Pepper knew better than to think it unimportant. That tiny, completely dead mechanical knick-knack…

Was Jarvis.


	12. Calling For Help

AN: Sorry for the delay!!! I was grounded for a few days, which turned into a few months, which… yeah.

**Anyhoo, here's the next chapter. I'm glad to say that I'm back on my feet, and I hope that people still review, even though I haven't updated since… sometime around April or May.**

Dawn crept over the Malibu sea, and Pepper collapsed onto the ruined couch, exhausted. She ran a hand through her hair and exhaled through her teeth, eyes darting around and nerves on edge despite her fatigue.

Tony had been nearly impossible to move. He was practically catatonic, his eyes vacant and staring blankly out into empty space while Pepper tried to rouse him. She had finally had to pull him to his feet and half-carry, half-drag him upstairs and put him to bed. Bed had been a problem itself, as Tony's mattress had been ripped to shreds, along with his pillows, and Pepper found herself wrapping Tony in blankets on the floor.

She had spent the rest of the nighttidying up the house while her disturbed imagination conjured up a gang of masked thieves, dressed in ninja style black and descending from the shadows in hordes to silently kill anything in their way; A ship of aliens hell-bent on building the ultimate weapon; A monstrous metal copycat, intent on revenge.

The last one was, of course, simply not possible. Obadiah was very, very dead, no doubts about that. His body had been burned to a crisp by the arc reactor explosion, and his innards had liquefied, boiled, and leaked out of his body. Pepper knew. She had accidentally stepped on a kidney on the way up to the roof to find Tony.

No, something-someone-had done this, with a very real, very human plan to search, find, and steal. And they had destroyed everything that got in their way.

Pepper felt bile rise in her throat as she remembered Tony's expression when he had found Jarvis. It was absolutely heart rending, the face you usually see on a lost child superimposed onto the face of a man. The face of a child alone and scared, a child that has lost it's only friend, or their mother, or father.

Sometimes Tony's brash nature made people forget how much he had lost over the years. He was a genius, yes, but the knowledge that his intellect was taken from his father, his long dead hero, haunted him every moment of living. Once, while drunk, Tony had told Pepper how he had dreams about his parents, dreams about their last moments. He would see them driving along the road carefree and happy, see his mother's laughter turn to screams as Howard Stark desperately tried to regain control of his car. See them skid across the road. See them plunge through the guardrail, down, down, down.

Tony had some scary inner thoughts.

Pepper sat up straighter, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt. Pulling out a cell phone, she pressed the speed dial button: The special one to be used in emergencies only.

Pepper would have to e strong for Tony, but she didn't have to do it alone. She wasn't the only one who cared about him.

"Hello, Peter Parker? This is Virginia Potts. Yes, Tony's secretary. Listen, I need you to come over. Yes, right now. I'll book you a ticket on the red eye.

"Yes, this is an emergency."


End file.
